The present disclosure relates to a process of reducing the cholesterol content in cholesterol-containing organic oils or fats, particularly animal oils or fats.
In order to be able to subject organic oils or fats, particularly animal oils or fats, preferably beef drippings, to a processing of the highest possible quality, it is desirable to reduce the cholesterol content in these oils or fats in a simple manner.
A process of reducing the cholesterol content in cholesterol-containing organic oils or fats is addressed in the present disclosure, the process comprising the following steps: adding at least one of demineralized water and distilled water having a set pH-value to the cholesterol-containing oils or fats, thereby forming a mixture; and separating the mixture into a cholesterol-containing aqueous phase and a cholesterol-reduced oil or fat phase.
The process-related and time-related expenditures for reducing the cholesterol content are extremely low in this simple process. A receptacle for mixing the oil or fat with the water and a separating device connected behind the latter are sufficient. Tests have shown that clear reductions of the cholesterol content in oil or fat can be achieved by this process. According to the present disclosure, beef drippings may represent a product suitable for treatment by the process. The separation of the cholesterol-containing aqueous phase takes place fast and effectively by a separating centrifuge, particularly a separator with a vertical axis of rotation with a disk stack.
The demineralized and/or distilled water added in the process may have a fixedly set pH-value either in an acidic or an alkaline range.
Good results with respect to reducing the percentage of the cholesterol content can be achieved when the demineralized and/or distilled water added in the process has a pH-value of between 4 and 6, and possibly between 5 and 6. The demineralized and/or distilled water added may have a pH-value between 6.5 and 8.
The separating step takes place immediately after the addition of the water. In this case, “immediately” may mean a time period of maximally 5-10 minutes but may be up to 120 seconds or up to 60 seconds. The use of a buffer tank before the separation of the aqueous phase is also conceivable, according to the present disclosure.
A still further lowering of the cholesterol content can be achieved when the steps of adding the water and separating the aqueous phase are repeated once or several times.
Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.